


And Then Came Summer

by superchester



Series: And So It Goes [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bromance, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-17 05:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3517511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superchester/pseuds/superchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean didn't expect summer to be such a bummer. Neither did Sam.</p><p>They work it out though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Okay, Dean will be the first to admit he’s sort of being a baby about this. That being said, he really really really really misses Cas. Like, a whole two and a half months without seeing each other? Who even came up with summer?

As it is they text all the time. So much so that Dad took away Dean’s phone at the dinner table in the middle of their pseudo-argument over whether or not Han Solo’s character is more douche-y than bad ass.

They’d marathoned the movies together the weekend before summer began. Dean, admittedly had spent less time actually watching the movies (he’d seen them a thousand times with Sam,) and more time snuggling up to Castiel.

(Who, for the most part, had ignored him in favor of watching the films, even when Dean was practically in his lap.)

They’re eating breakfast and Dean can feel his phone buzzing against his thigh with Cas’ on schedule ‘good morning’ text. Dean has to pinch himself to keep from smiling like a dork with his family watching.

As it is Sam’s giving him squinty eyed looks because Dean keeps jiggling his foot and shifting in his seat, anxious to reply to Cas’ texts.

He’s practically inhaling his cereal at this point.

Dad reaches across the table and nudges Dean’s head.

“ _You look like you’re about to piss your pants, kid._ ”

Dean scrunches his face in response, “ _Very funny_.”

“ _What gives? You got somewhere to be that I don’t know about_?” Dad fixes him with a look, the kind of look that says he expects Dean to give a proper answer.

“ _Cas is texting me_ ,” he admits, trying his hardest to look preoccupied with the last dregs of milk in his bowl.

“ _Shouldn’t that boy be eating breakfast with his family_?” asked Dad, clearly disapproving.

Dean shrugged, “ _He always texts me in the morning_.”

Dad shakes his head, “ _Alright, go on if you’re finished. But don’t make it  habit. Leave your phone in your room during meal times. Plenty of time to talk to Castiel during the rest of the day._ ”

Dean hops up like his pants are on fire. “ _Thanks, dad_ ,” he signs, ruffling Sam’s hair as he passes him to drop his bowl in the sink.

He takes the stairs two at a time to get to his room, flopping on his bed and digging his phone out of his pocket.

**Fr: Cas <3**

**\- Roses are Red**

**Violets are Blue**

**I don’t want to spend another morning without you.**

**Miss you xoxo <3 <3 -**

Dean would never, ever, under any circumstance admit how much he loves the saccharine things Cas says sometimes.

It’s amazing how crazy love makes him sometimes.

Blushing and grinning like a loon, he replies.

**To: Cas <3**

**\- You’re my favorite. Sorry about the late reply.**

**I miss you too. xxxxxoooo -**

He waits less than a minute for Cas’ response.

**Fr: Cas <3**

**\- Aw no worries. What are you up to today? Will you have time to skype later? I think I’m forgetting what your face looks like. It’s been too long! :’( -**

Dean rolls onto his back, shamelessly wiggling his toes and smiling, there’s a swelling in his chest that makes him feel like there are stars shooting out of his skin. And no matter how long he and Cas are together, Dean thinks he’ll always feel this way.

**To: Cas <3**

**\- You’re so cute. Yeah, I can skype later. I always have time to skype with you. Can’t wait till summer is over. Three months away from you is a little excessive. -**

**Fr: Cas <3**

**\- I know right?! Who came up with this dumb vacation. Obviously it’s completely unnecessary. How am I supposed to kiss you from hundreds of miles away? -**

Dean does not do kicky feet, but if he did, this would be the time.

**To: Cas <3**

**\- Alright, enough, if my face gets any more red Sam’s going to take one look at me and start asking intrusive questions. How’s your vacation going, btw? -**

**Fr: Cas <3**

**Boring. My brother Gabe got here last night so shit’s about to get real.**

**To: Cas <3**

**\- You never talk about your family, what are they like?**

**Fr: Cas <3**

**\- Fucking insane.-**

Dean laughs out loud and ridiculous and probably unwarranted, but… Cas. He’s just about to text back something sappy when Sam comes bursting into the room, looking like someone lit a fire under his ass to get him here.

“ _What’s up?_ ” Dean asks, using only one hand because he’s still texting Cas with the other.

Sam plops on the bed beside Dean, trying to peer at his texts over his shoulder, Dean shoves him in the chest.

“ _Ow. Douche_.”

Dean snorts. “ _What do you want, squirt_?”

Sam flops back against Dean’s pillows, “ _I heard you laughing… you never laugh out loud_.”

Dean makes a face. “ _That’s because I probably sound like an idiot._ ”

Sam frowns, “ _You don’t though_.”

The bed shifts as Sam lifts up onto his elbows. Dean rolls his eyes, Sam is doing his signature wide-eyed, earnest, well-meaning look. The ones he gives Dean when he’s trying to single-handedly fix all of Dean’s self-worth issues.

His phone buzzes with a new message from Cas, and Dean can’t help but stop his conversation with Sam to answer.

**Fr: Cas <3**

**\- ajksdkfj Gabe and his girlfriend came down for breakfast...I don’t think mom knew he brought his girlfriend was staying here. 0.o -**

**To: Cas <3**

**\- How could she not know??? -**

**Fr: Cas <3**

**\- Her flight came in late, mom and dad we’re already in bed, but I guess Gabe never bothered to let them know his girlfriend was staying here.**

**To: Cas <3**

**\- Yikes -**

He flips onto his back beside Sam and tries to shift into a comfortable texting position, but Sam gives him a particularly violent arm pinch before he can settle.

“ _What?_ ” he snaps, annoyed, he only has so long to text Cas before one or both of them get busy with their respective families.

Sam gives him his best sour puss face, “ _We we’re having a conversation, jackass._ ”

Alright, so maybe he has kind of been ignoring his brother lately, and judging by the hurt look Sam’s trying to mask with anger, well. Dean feels awkward and clumsy as he sits up and crosses his legs.

“ _Look...Sam, I-_ ” he begins, but Sam stops him, sitting up against the headboard, his signs are jerky and upset as he cuts Dean off.

“ _Don’t, Dean. Just, I know you and Castiel are happy, or whatever, but you can’t just leave the rest of us behind_.” Sam shrugs his skinny shoulders, blinking rapidly and avoiding Dean’s eyes. Gosh, Dean feels about two inches tall right now.

“ _You’re gone like all year, and I’m stuck here in Sioux Falls and you don’t even answer my texts half the time, and now that you’re here all you do is text Castiel or talk about Castiel and at this point I’m pretty sick of hearing about him and how much fun you have together._ ”

Sam’s nose is red and his eyes are watery, and Dean can’t help but reach out and grip his shoulder tightly, Sam still won’t look at him.

Even though this is straying dangerously close to a chick flick moment, Dean pushes through his own misgivings over emotions for the sake of Sam’s, “ _I didn’t realize. Sorry. Look, I’ll put my phone away, we can go do something. Just you and me_.”

“ _Don’t be a jerk_.” says Sam, casting a dark look in Dean’s direction.

Dean shakes his head, gripping Sam’s shoulder, “ _I’m serious. Whatever you want man, I missed you too, and you know how much I hate saying shit like that._ ”

The look Sam gives him is distrustful, but he nods anyway.

Dean scoots off the bed, leaving his phone under his pillow, he’ll text Cas later, his brother is important, not more important than Cas, just of equal importance, and Dean’s been neglecting half of the two more important people in his life.

(Besides Dad and Pam, but dad’s his dad, and Pam’s, well, Pam, they don’t need to be reassured about how much they mean to him.)

“ _C’mon, let’s go_.” he pulls Sam up by the arm, “ _We can go check out that river we found when we were kids or have a Lord of the Rings marathon or something._ ”

It’s a little awkward at first, Dean thinks maybe Sam is waiting for him to laugh at him for getting emotional earlier, but Dean knows when to joke around with his brother, and when to take his somewhat emotional outbursts seriously.

Besides, it’s only so long before the kid grows up and doesn’t care about Dean’s opinions anymore.

They trek to the river they found when they first moved here, it’s really just a trickling creek that sometimes dries up when there isn’t enough rain. It’s murky and slow moving today, but Dean and Sam sit on the planks of wood they’d laid across in a makeshift bridge a few years ago and dip their feet in.

It’s nice. They talk. Sam tells Dean about the girl he wants to take to prom, and Dean tells Sam about getting up early to catch pictures of the sunrise on the campus like and driving to scenic fields with Cas to take landscape photos.

Sam tells Dean he’s worried Cas is coming between them.

Dean drops his arm around Sam’s shoulder and smushes him into his side and tells him how ridiculous it is for him to think anything will stop them from being them.

Cas is just an added bonus. A bonus Dean loves, but Cas can’t replace Sam, and Sam can’t replace Cas. They’ve got to separate spaces in his heart and there’s no need for replacing.

They walk home as the sun is setting, their feet damp in the shoes and socks.

Every few minutes Dean will tug Sam’s hair, or throw bits of grass at the back of his head.

His little brother is 15. Nearly grown. But he still needs Dean. And Dean won’t ever stop needing him.

 **  
**Dean’s glad to have the reminder.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer comes to a close, and Dean really really misses Castiel.

Dean spends a lot less time on his phone talking to Cas and a lot more time hanging out with Sam. He feels bad, and he misses talking to Cas, but he explained it to him and Castiel told him to, “Be with Sam, family is important.”

Which is interesting considering the fact that Castiel doesn’t get along with his family very well. He’s probably just being the stupidly perfect, supportive boyfriend he always is. Summer is seriously cramping his style, talk about a dry spell. Heh. At least it’s almost over.

Although he’ll miss Sammy...a lot. So he tries to spend as much time hanging out with him as possible. Which is why they’ve been playing Lego Star Wars on their Ps3 for the past three hours. Sam’s slumped against his shoulder, fingers working furiously on his controller, hair falling into his eyes. Yeah, Dean’s gonna miss him.

It’s weird, he’s never really been torn between the people he loves before. Maybe that’s what happens when your world expands beyond four car doors, leather seats, his dad and his brother.

-

“Can I come in?”

Dad’s leaning against his doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. Dean sits up in bed, pushing his phone under his pillow. He pulls his pajama clad legs up to his chest and wraps his arms around them.

“What’s up, Dad?”

Dad comes to sit beside him on the edge of his bed. “I noticed what you’ve been doing with Sammy. I just wanted to say I really appreciate you spending time with him. He misses you when you’re gone.”

Dean rests his chin on his knees, trying not preen too much under his father’s praise. He shrugs and blushes and maybe can’t hold back the smile tugging at his lips. Dad puts a hand on the back of his head, ruffling his hair and scratching at his scalp before slipping his hand down and adjusting his arm around Dean’s shoulders until Dean is tilting into his dad’s side.

He wraps his arms around Dad’s waist, shuts his eyes for a moment when he feels a kiss pressed to the top of his head.

“You’re a good kid, buddy. I know I haven’t always been the best, but I love you and your brother, and I’m really glad we got to where we are now with Pam and Bobby and the house because… well because you guys deserve this, and I’m really happy I can give it to you.”

Dean’s eyes are prickling with tears, and he remembers randomly and ridiculously, what Cas texted earlier about family being important and how right he was. He’s a little pissed at himself for getting caught up in dating and Castiel, but he’s glad he could make things right with Sammy and spend time with his brother and Dad and Bobby and Pam because no matter how caught up he gets he’ll always miss them and the safety they give him.

“I love you too, Dad. And I’m really happy we’re home.”

Dad rubs his back before they part, smiling happily, albeit- awkwardly, and Dad rises from the bed with a final pat to Dean’s shoulder.

“Good night, kiddo, see you in the morning.”

“Night, Dad.”

-

“So are you and Cas like forever or something?” Sam skips a rock across the pond in front of them, it bounces off the water twice before it sinks with a ripple.

Dean flicks his ear before skipping his own rock. “None of your business, bitch.” His rock plops right into the water on the first skip, and Sam’s parts in a grin and he shakes his head. Dean can’t help his own grin. This is how Sam looks when he’s happy. He laughs and his whole face lights up. Every once and a while he really wishes he could hear, but he accepts the gift of sight and enjoys his joyful little brother while he can.

“Come on, tell me. What am I here for if not to give you a reason to have chick flick moments. And don’t say you hate them, because I know you.” Sam kicks at his shin.

Dean wrinkles his nose, “I think you’re confusing me with you, twerp. And what’s with the curiosity? Don’t you have a bunch of girls falling all over your puppy dog face?”

Sam blushes but doesn’t answer.

Huh.

“There IS someone isn’t there? Sam, you player.” He wraps his arms around Sam’s shoulders from behind and swings him from side to side, squeezing him.

Sam’s fingers scrabble at his arms pinching and scratching, “Let me go, jackass.”

“Well, Sammy, who is she? Or he? Have we ever talked about this?” He releases his brother but continues to poke and prod at him.

“She. And her name is Madison, and she’s really pretty and not at all interested in me.”

“Aw, don’t be like that. I’m sure she’s mooning away over your precious overgrown hair and pinchable cheeks.” Dean pinches his brother’s cheek for good measure. Sam pushes his hand away, face red as a fire engine.

“Shut up, you jerk,” Sam signs, and crosses his arms over his chest, shoulders bunched up around his neck.

Dean sighs, poor Sammy is actually torn up over this girl. “Hey man, look, she’d be crazy not to go for you. You’re smart, emotional, a little chubby but overall adorable, I’m sure girl’s love that.”

“She probably doesn’t even know I exist. Besides, she’s going to her dad’s in California for the rest of summer. I already missed my chance.”

Dean cuffs his brother’s shoulder, “You’ll get another chance. Or someone else will catch your attention. One crush isn’t the end of the world.”

Sam looks up at him through brown, overgrown fringe, “I can’t imagine liking anyone else as much as I like her. Do you think if Cas didn’t like you back, you would have dated someone else?”

That is...something Dean would rather not think about. He still fears on a semi-regular basis that Castiel will tire of Dean and his emotional baggage. (He used to fear it constantly, but Castiel has made it his personal mission to kiss Dean’s insecurities away...they kiss a lot. Heh.)

“I don’t know if Cas and I are forever, but… I’d like us to be, and he says he does too, so maybe that’s enough for now. But in your case, just concentrate on putting yourself out there. If you like someone, ask them out. You never know till you try. And for the record, you’re too young to be thinking about forevers.” He tries to give Sam a stern look, but Sam’s already looking away to toss another rock.

Hopefully some of what Dean said will stick. Sam’s a smart kid though, so even if he forgets any advice Dean ever gave him, he’ll probably figure it out on his own anyway.

Sam tosses one more rock before turning away from the pond. “I’m hungry, let’s go back.”

Nodding, Dean leads the way.

They eat dinner with just Dad and Bobby because Pam had an emergency with a client at the hospital.

Sam’s steals food off of Dean’s plate whenever he thinks Dean isn’t paying attention until Dad flicks his ear and tells him to knock it off, citing that Dean is skinny enough as it is.

(Dean is not skinny, he and Cas have been eating every pie they can find across Boston, Dad just has an obsession with ensuring Dean’s healthy in whatever way he can.)

“How’s that boy of yours doing, Dean?” asks Bobby, sitting back from his empty plate, a beer in hand. “He mooning just as much as you are?”

Dean grimaces, “I’m not mooning. And, for the record, yes he is.”

Bobby’s shoulders shake and his eyes crinkle when he laughs. “Summer’s almost over, kiddo, you’ll be back together soon enough.”

“Yeah and I’ll be stuck here alone,” Sam grouches, rolling his peas around with his fork.

Dean pinches his cheek. “Don’t be a baby. Besides you’ll be too busy planning how you’re gonna ask out, Madison?” he teases. Sam punches him in the shoulder, but it’s worth it to see the surprise on Dad and Bobby’s faces.

Dad raises his eyebrows, “Something you wanna share, Sam?”

Sam slouches in his seat, “There’s nothing to share. Dean’s just being a jerk...and a traitor.”

Dean outright laughs and suddenly everyone is staring at him. Oh. He must have laughed out loud. With sound. Which he rarely ever does. Ever. Dean drops his eyes and goes back to eating, heat prickling beneath his skin.

They don’t really talk after that.

Later on, Dean tells Cas about it during their nightly Skype call.

“Well, have you ever considered, you know, learning to talk, verbally?”

Dean’s eyes just about pop from his head. “Do you want me to?”

Cas gives him the smile he gives Dean whenever he feels like Dean is being particularly endearing. “The question is do YOU want to, baby, It’s your life. I’ll support whatever you choose.”

Dean bites his lip, “I don’t know. I don’t really like the idea of not knowing what my voice sounds like.”

Castiel’s grin turns feral and mischievous, “Well, it’s sexy as hell whenever you let me hear it. But I guess by then you can’t really control yourself.”

Dean’s mouth drops open and he flops backwards on his bed. “I can’t believe you just said that,” he signs, when he’s gained a modicum of composure. “Oh my gosh.”

Cas’ eyes are crinkled around the edges and his gums are showing as he smiles, “I love embarrassing you. You’re so cute.”

Dean groans, “Okay, okay, stop.” He drags both his hands down his face, “Enough about me. What about you? How’s your summer going?”

Castiel’s cheeks blow out as he replies, “About as dramatic as you can imagine. Gabe’s girlfriend Kali left. Mom casually mentioned that Kali’s clothes can be likened to those of a hooker and Kali totally lost it. They had a screaming match from the kitchen to the front yard.”

Dean shook his head, “That’s insane. What did Gabe do?”

“Laughed, left with Kali, left me and Anna to deal with the fall out.” Cas rolled his eyes.

“That sucks, man. What about your other brothers?”

Cas shrugged, “Michael and Luke don’t really hang around much. And they’re kind of over our whole family drama thing. They just ignore everything. Me and Anna included.”

Poor Castiel. “I wish you could come here and stay with me.” he said, leaning in closer to the camera. What he wouldn’t give to hug Cas right now. “Summer’s almost over and then we’ll be back at school. Together.”

Cas gave him a small, sad smile, “Thanks. I really miss you, you know?”

He was not tearing up. He was not. “I know. I miss you too. Don’t let your family get to you too much, okay?”

Cas rubbed at his eyes, “Okay. Anyway, it’s getting late. Talk to you tomorrow?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah. Love you.”

“Love you too. Night, Dean.”

“Night, Cas.”

-

Dean flies back to Boston alone, and he spends the entire ride gripping his arm rests, eyes shut tight. Cas is picking him up at the airport and that’s the only thing keeping him from dying from fright right here and now.

As it is the flight attendant asked him three times if he feels okay. At least she can sign.

The plane shakes around him. Shit, this sucks.

-

He sees Cas almost immediately, dressed in a ridiculous tan overcoat with a sign that reads, “½ OF A WHOLE”.

Dean wraps his arms around Castiel’s waist, face buried in his shoulder. He feels Cas’ smile against his neck and he breathes in the smell of Castiel’s weird bee honey cologne and his hair gel.

He doesn’t know how long they stand there, (but when they pull apart it’s only to press their lips together.)

**  
(Dean doesn’t really care how long they stand there as long as he can keep kissing Cas breathless.)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am total trash, I have no idea if this story even makes sense. I apologize it's like 893% fluff.
> 
> Any dialogue is ASL, I wrote it in italics but for some reason it doesn't transfer so I just gave up. I'm sorry if it's confusing!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for your kind words and kudos!
> 
> If this felt out of character I just want to say that Dean and Cas are very much in the flirty, honeymoon stage of their relationship and they're being overly flirty over text in a mostly joking way that also relays how much they actually do miss each other.
> 
> Please feel free to prompt me if there's something you'd like to see!


End file.
